Flexible matting.



No. 786,545. PATENTED APR. 4, 1905.

A. S. BURNELL. FLEXIBLE MATT ING L APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20, 1902.RENEWED FEB. 25, 1905.

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PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR S. BURNELL, OF MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA.

FLEXIBLE MATTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 786,545, dated April 4,1905.

Application filed December 20, 1902. Renewed February 25, 1905. SerialNo. 247,249.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR S. BURNELL, a resident of Marshalltown, inthe county of Marshall and State of Iowa, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Flexible Matting, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to flexible fabrics or matting formed of strips ofmetale. g., such as are used in door-mats.

The invention designs to provide an improved flexible fabric or mattingformed of flat strips of metal which can be readily bent into shape andquickly and easily assembled and which when assembled provide a fabricor matting which is durable, flexible, and inexpensive.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and moreparticularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a floor-mat embodying one form ofthe invention. the strips. Fig. 3 is a partial plan of a modification,showing a mat having the strips differently arranged. Fig. 4 is a planof another modification, showing a mat having its metal strips bent intodifferent shape. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of one of the saidstrips of the modification shown in Fig. I. Fig. 6 is a partial plan ofa modification, showing said strips differently arranged.

The fabric consists of a plurality of short flat strips of metal A, bentto form a pair of longitudinally-extending side portions a and alaterally-extending connecting portion a, arranged in transverse series.Each transverse series of strips forms a section and is flexiblyconnected with the next section by a transverse pivot-rod B. Each stripthus bent forms a rectangular open-ended link. Each side portion a isformed with a transverselyextending alined perforation a near theconnecting portion and with an alined transverse perforation 64 adjacentits free terminal. The side portions are secured in spread relation bythe connecting portion a, while the free ends are held by adjacentstrips. Transverse Fig. 2 is a detail perspective of one of rodsBflexibly connect the strips and extend through perforations a of thestrips of one transverse series and through perforations a of theadjacent transverse series. The integral connecting portion secures theside portions against disarrangement. In Fig. l the strips arealternately arranged in adjacent transverse and longitudinal series 2".6., the strips of one transverse series are arranged between andposition the strips of each adjacent transverse series,and the rodextends through both side portions of one strip and next through bothside portions of the next strip. These strips, being bent substantiallyin the shape of a U, can be manufactured at a low cost. In this mattingor fabric overlapping side portions are avoided as far as possible. Thestrips can be quickly assembled. An ornamental border can be formed ofshort metal strips 0, having laterally-bent portions and straight endswherethrough the terminals of rods B pass. The laterally-bent portionsprotect the headed terminals 7) of rods B, which confine the stripsagainst lateral movement along the rod.

In Fig. 3 the flat metal strips A are shaped so the connecting portion awill fit between the side portions of another strip of the same form.The strips are also arranged in closer relation and in close successionalong each transverse rodz'. 0., the opposite free terminals of thestrips of a transverse series are contiguous and the connecting portionsof the strips of one transverse series are arranged between the freeends of a longitudinally-adjacent strip. ilhis arrangement is ofadvantage in instances where the fabric is subjected to unusual strains,because each end of each terminal is secured against inward and outwardstrain by the connecting portions and contiguous side portions ofadjacent strips.

In the preferred form of the invention (illustrated in Figs. L and eachstrip A is formed with a connecting portion a and apair of side portionsa, having those portions between the connecting portion and the free endbent inwardly and toward each other, as at a". The arrangement of stripsin Fig. 4 is similar to that shown in Fig. 1. hen the strips are thusbent,-por.tions of the longitudinal side portions will abut against eachother and secure each other against inward movement, While the free endsof the terminals are secured against outward movement by contiguous sideportions of adjacent strips, thus providing fabric in which the stripsare arranged so the strips of one section are alternately arrangedbetween and space the strips of an adjacent section and in which theside portions of all of the strips are secured against lateral movementin either direction. Straight links (Z are usually employed to securethe rods against tendencyo't laterally-expanded strips to spread therods when the strips are subjected to severe lateral strains. In Fig. 5the fabric is formed of strips A, having their side portions bent towardeach other to secure each other against inward movement, and thearrangement of the strips is similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. Fabric or matting formed of pivotallyconnected sections, the sectionscomprising a plurality of short flat strips of metal, each bent to forma rectangular open-ended link comprising a pair of side portionsperforated near their ends, and a laterally-extending connecting-bar atone end of the link, the side portions being separated at the connectedend.

2. Fabric or matting formed of sections, the sections comprising aplurality of short flat strips of metal bent to form side portions and alaterally-extending connecting portion, the side portions of astripbeing separated at their ends, and having their central portions benttoward each other and transverse pivots connecting the strips of onesection with those of the next.

3. Fabric or matting formed of sections, the sections comprising aplurality of short flat strips of metal bent to form side portions and alaterally-extending connecting portion, the side portions of the stripsbeing perforated near their ends and having portions between their ends,extended for abutment against each other, and transverse rods pivotallyconnecting the strips of one section with those of the next.

4. Fabric or matting formed of sections, the sections comprising aplurality of flat strips of metal, bent to form a pair of side portionsand a laterally-extending connecting portion, the strips of one sectionbeing alternately arranged between the strips of the next section, and apivotal connection between the strips of adjacent sections.

5. Matting or fabric formed of sections, the sections comprising aplurality of fiat strips of metal bent to form a pair of side portionsand a connecting portion, the strips of one section being alternatelydisposed with respect to and arranged between the strips of the nextsection, the free ends of the strips of one section being contiguous tothe connected ends of the sides of the strips of the next section, andtransverse rods pivotally connecting the sections and extendingalternately through both sides of the strips of one section and throughboth sides of the strips of the next section, the sides being benttoward each other.

ARTHUR S. BURNELL.

In presence of FRED GERLAOH, EMMA GERLACH.

